Rig Veda Sukta 89
Mandala 8Sukta 897 Mantras

Sukta 89

Sukta 8.89

Rishi

Gautama (Gautama family context continues into 8.89 in many traditions; exact assignment should be confirmed in Anukramaṇī)

Devata

Indra with Maruts (Indra-Maruṭ association; primary addressed: Indra; Maruts as invoked singers/allies)

Chandas

Trishtubh (probable; verify in critical edition)

تدعو هذه الترتيلة القصيرة الماروتات إلى أن ينشدوا مديحًا «بْرِهَت» (واسعًا/عظيمًا) يوقظ إندرا، قاتل فِرِترا، لكي يطلق النور والمياه والحيّز اللامع الواسع (سْفَه). وعبر الأبيات يُحثّ إندرا على التقدّم بجرأة، وشقّ القوّة المانعة، وإطلاق حركة النظام الكوني—الشمس والمياه وطاقات تقوية الحق تسير معًا. والغاية طقسية (تنشيط إندرا للنصر والمطر) وباطنية أيضًا (إيقاظ القوّة الإلهية التي تكسر الجمود وتمنح الصفاء).

Recitation with translationRig Veda 8.89

Mantras

Mantra 1

बृहदिन्द्राय गायत मरुतो वृत्रहन्तमम् । येन ज्योतिरजनयन्नृतावृधो देवं देवाय जागृवि ॥

أنشدوا النشيد العظيم لإندرا، يا ماروت، لأعظم قاتلٍ لفِرترا. به أخرجتم النور إلى الوجود، أنتم مُنمّو الـṚta—أيقِظوا الإله، لأجل الألوهية الكامنة فينا.

Mantra 2

अपाधमदभिशस्तीरशस्तिहाथेन्द्रो द्युम्न्याभवत् । देवास्त इन्द्र सख्याय येमिरे बृहद्भानो मरुद्गण ॥

لقد نفخ فبدّد الهجمات المعادية، قاهرَ الظلمة غير المنطوقة؛ ثم امتلأ إندرا بالمجد المتلألئ. واجتمع الآلهة معك، يا إندرا، للصحبة—يا واسعَ الإشراق، مع جموع الماروت.

Mantra 3

प्र व इन्द्राय बृहते मरुतो ब्रह्मार्चत । वृत्रं हनति वृत्रहा शतक्रतुर्वज्रेण शतपर्वणा ॥

قدّموا كلمتكم المقدّسة لإندرا العظيم، يا ماروت. إن قاتلَ فِرترا يصرع فِرترا بالـvajra ذاتِ مئةِ مفصل—بإرادةٍ ذاتِ مئةِ قوة.

Mantra 4

अभि प्र भर धृषता धृषन्मनः श्रवश्चित्ते असद्बृहत् । अर्षन्त्वापो जवसा वि मातरो हनो वृत्रं जया स्वः ॥

تقدَّمْ بالحملِ جريئًا، يا ذا الذهنِ الجسور؛ ولْتَغْدُ شهرتُكَ عظيمةً. ولْتَنْدَفِعِ المياهُ بسرعةٍ، ولْتَتَفَرَّقِ الأُمّهاتُ—اضربْ فِرِترا (Vṛtra) واغْلِبْ، واربحِ العالَمَ المُضيءَ (سْفَر svar).

Mantra 5

यज्जायथा अपूर्व्य मघवन्वृत्रहत्याय । तत्पृथिवीमप्रथयस्तदस्तभ्ना उत द्याम् ॥

حين وُلِدتَ، يا مَغهافان (Maghavan)، ولادةً لا سابقةَ لها لقتلِ الساترِ (Vṛtra)، عندئذٍ وسَّعتَ الأرضَ، أساسَنا، وأقمتَ كذلك السماءَ فوق.

Mantra 6

तत्ते यज्ञो अजायत तदर्क उत हस्कृतिः । तद्विश्वमभिभूरसि यज्जातं यच्च जन्त्वम् ॥

عندئذٍ وُلِدَ لكَ اليَجْنَ (yajña: القربانُ المقدّس)، ووُلِدَ الأَرْكَ (arka: النشيدُ)، وكذلك قوّتُكَ المُشَكِّلة. وبهذا تصيرُ الغالبَ على كلِّ ما وُلِدَ وكلِّ ما يتحرّكُ ليُولَد.

Mantra 7

आमासु पक्वमैरय आ सूर्यं रोहयो दिवि । घर्मं न सामन्तपता सुवृक्तिभिर्जुष्टं गिर्वणसे बृहत् ॥

من حالِ النيِّئ ترفعُ القوّةَ الناضجة؛ وتُصعِدُ سُوريا إلى السماء. وكالحرارةِ التي تصيرُ ترنيمةً، تُلهِبُ الحقَّ الواسع—مُرحَّبًا به بكلماتِنا المُحكَمة الصوغ—للسيّدِ العظيم، ربِّ الأناشيدِ الملهمة (Girvanas).

Inside Sukta 89

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    The Maruts are urged to sing a vast hymn to Indra, awakening the Vṛtra-slayer who brings forth light and strengthens truth (ṛta).

  2. Development

    The hymn intensifies into direct imperatives: Indra is pressed to advance with daring mind; fame is to become vast; the waters and ‘Mothers’ are to surge and spread as obstruction is struck down.

  3. Climax

    The decisive breakthrough imagery: Vṛtra is to be slain and svaḥ (the luminous world) won—cosmic opening through force and right-ordered power.

  4. Where it settles

    Indra’s transformative capacity is affirmed: he ripens what is unripe, sets the Sun in heaven, and is pleased by well-made hymns—ending in sustained praise and divine welcome to the sacrificer’s speech.

The deity: Indra

  • In the VedaIndra is praised as vṛtrahantama, the foremost slayer of Vṛtra/obstruction, awakened by the Maruts’ song; he brings forth light, releases the waters, and wins svaḥ (the luminous world). The Maruts appear as truth-increasing (ṛtāvṛdhaḥ) storm-powers whose chant and force accompany Indra’s victory.
  • Cosmic functionBreaker of cosmic blockage: he cleaves the withholding power, releases rivers/rains, restores movement, and establishes the shining expanse where sun and order can stand.
  • Inner significanceIndra symbolizes the awakened will and victorious clarity that shatters inner constriction (fear, inertia, confusion), releasing the ‘waters’ of life-force and the ‘light’ of discernment; the Maruts represent the surging energies of breath, ardor, and inspired speech that support this breakthrough.

The seer

  • Gautama (Gautama family)Gautama gotra (Āṅgirasa stream in later tradition) · A prominent Vedic seer-lineage associated with hymns of inspired praise and with the articulation of ṛta (cosmic order) through potent speech.

Famous verses

bṛhad indrāya gāyata
Verse 8.89.1Programmatic opening: Maruts as singers awaken Indra; links Indra’s victory with the birth of light and the increase of ṛta—setting the hymn’s ritual and spiritual aim.Read verse 8.89.1 →
hano vṛtraṃ jayā svaḥ
Verse 8.89.4Central martial-cosmic petition: bold advance, swelling fame, rushing waters, Mothers spreading—culminating in the command to strike Vṛtra and win svaḥ.Read verse 8.89.4 →
आमासु पक्वमैरय आ सूर्यं रोहयो दिवि । घर्मं न सामन्तपता सुवृक्तिभिर्जुष्टं गिर्वणसे बृहत् ॥
Verse 8.89.7Concluding transformation motif: from ‘raw’ to ‘ripe,’ raising the Sun in heaven; emphasizes tapas/heat and the efficacy of well-fashioned speech pleasing to Girvāṇas Indra.Read verse 8.89.7 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Vṛtra-slayer (obstruction-breaker)
  • Bringer of light (jyotiḥ-janaka motif)
  • Liberator of waters (āpāṃ mocaka)
  • Winner of svaḥ (luminous realm)
  • Girvāṇas (delighting in inspired utterance)
  • Allied with Maruts (storm-host, singers, energizers)

Also by this seer

  • Rig Veda family corpus associated with Gautamas (multiple hymns across the Saṃhitā are attributed to Gautama-descended seers in Anukramaṇī traditions).
  • Later Vedic-Itihāsa memory preserves Gautama as an archetypal brahmarṣi associated with tapas and disciplined insight (distinct strands exist; exact RV hymn mapping varies by recension and Anukramaṇī).

The rite, step by step

  • Āvāhana: invite Indra and the Maruts through loud, expansive praise (bṛhat).
  • Stuti: recount Indra’s Vṛtra-slaying and light-bringing deeds; emphasize ṛta and the release of waters.
  • Preraṇa (urging): address Indra with imperatives—advance boldly, make fame vast, strike the obstructer, win svaḥ.
  • Saṃyoga: invoke supporting powers (Maruts/waters/mothers) to ‘rush’ and spread, mirroring the cosmic opening.
  • Nivedana: offer oblations while reciting key verses; request protection, victory, and luminous increase.
  • Śānti/Upasaṃhāra: conclude with well-fashioned speech (suvṛkti) seeking Indra’s continued favor and presence.

Offerings

  • Soma (where applicable)
  • Ghṛta (ghee oblations)
  • Puroḍāśa/anna offerings (context-dependent)
  • Voice-offering: stotra/uktha as the primary ‘bṛhat’ gift

Frequently Asked Questions

Indra is the primary deity. The Maruts are closely involved as his allied storm-host and as the singers who help awaken and energize him.

It urges Indra to advance boldly, strike down Vṛtra (the power of obstruction), release the waters, bring forth light, and win svaḥ—the wide luminous realm.

Beyond a cosmic battle, it can be read as breaking inner blockage—fear, inertia, or confusion—so that clarity (light) and life-force (waters) can flow freely under the guidance of ṛta (right order).

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